Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail in descending order the top 50 recipients of agriculture subsidy, showing the amounts awarded to each recipient in each of the last three years and expressing each amount as a percentage of the total overall subsidy awarded in Scotland.

Ross Finnie: Details of the requested total payments per producer, in calendar years 1998, 1999 and 2000, are given in the table. Also indicated is the percentage of the total overall subsidy payment for that year.

  


 


Top 50 1998 payments 
  

% of 1998 total 
  

Top 50 1999 payments 
  

% of 1999 total 
  

Top 50 2000 payments 
  

% of 2000 total 
  



1 
  

 £388,171.07 
  

0.0886% 
  

 £391,830.71 
  

0.1030% 
  

 £397,516.25 
  

0.1033% 
  



2 
  

 £387,444.89 
  

0.0886% 
  

 £366,434.05 
  

0.0963% 
  

 £383,556.97 
  

0.0997% 
  



3 
  

 £381,801.30 
  

0.0872% 
  

 £358,261.03 
  

0.0942% 
  

 £376,867.13 
  

0.0979% 
  



4 
  

 £377,994.14 
  

0.0863% 
  

 £355,577.14 
  

0.0935% 
  

 £363,646.29 
  

0.0945% 
  



5 
  

 £356,147.68 
  

0.0813% 
  

 £323,609.77 
  

0.0851% 
  

 £356,332.23 
  

0.0926% 
  



6 
  

 £345,323.16 
  

0.0789% 
  

 £322,225.14 
  

0.0847% 
  

 £333,088.98 
  

0.0866% 
  



7 
  

 £337,872.35 
  

0.0772% 
  

 £315,400.08 
  

0.0829% 
  

 £319,401.39 
  

0.0830% 
  



8 
  

 £324,090.43 
  

0.0740% 
  

 £314,652.89 
  

0.0827% 
  

 £314,296.11 
  

0.0817% 
  



9 
  

 £322,715.11 
  

0.0737% 
  

 £304,048.79 
  

0.0799% 
  

 £312,945.63 
  

0.0813% 
  



10 
  

 £318,746.02 
  

0.0728% 
  

 £302,046.65 
  

0.0000% 
  

 £285,653.67 
  

0.0742% 
  



11 
  

 £317,271.30 
  

0.0725% 
  

 £293,020.65 
  

0.0770% 
  

 £272,683.94 
  

0.0709% 
  



12 
  

 £314,512.98 
  

0.0718% 
  

 £290,138.97 
  

0.0763% 
  

 £271,840.85 
  

0.0706% 
  



13 
  

 £303,931.77 
  

0.0694% 
  

 £290,033.31 
  

0.0763% 
  

 £271,563.90 
  

0.0706% 
  



14 
  

 £300,311.61 
  

0.0686% 
  

 £287,686.88 
  

0.0756% 
  

 £269,694.09 
  

0.0701% 
  



15 
  

 £295,516.07 
  

0.0675% 
  

 £272,685.44 
  

0.0717% 
  

 £268,448.37 
  

0.0698% 
  



16 
  

 £295,173.27 
  

0.0674% 
  

 £269,625.05 
  

0.0709% 
  

 £267,626.20 
  

0.0696% 
  



17 
  

 £293,975.18 
  

0.0671% 
  

 £262,974.31 
  

0.0691% 
  

 £257,031.41 
  

0.0668% 
  



18 
  

 £292,609.24 
  

0.0668% 
  

 £262,022.18 
  

0.0689% 
  

 £251,854.98 
  

0.0655% 
  



19 
  

 £289,500.87 
  

0.0661% 
  

 £261,617.37 
  

0.0688% 
  

 £248,999.94 
  

0.0647% 
  



20 
  

 £288,806.06 
  

0.0660% 
  

 £255,379.44 
  

0.0671% 
  

 £245,486.79 
  

0.0638% 
  



21 
  

 £286,411.51 
  

0.0654% 
  

 £250,001.57 
  

0.0657% 
  

 £243,267.26 
  

0.0632% 
  



22 
  

 £284,044.63 
  

0.0649% 
  

 £237,885.87 
  

0.0625% 
  

 £242,942.02 
  

0.0631% 
  



23 
  

 £281,079.67 
  

0.0642% 
  

 £231,839.96 
  

0.0610% 
  

 £238,085.10 
  

0.0619% 
  



24 
  

 £278,729.00 
  

0.0637% 
  

 £230,270.86 
  

0.0605% 
  

 £236,949.88 
  

0.0616% 
  



25 
  

 £276,699.08 
  

0.0632% 
  

 £227,826.85 
  

0.0599% 
  

 £232,880.71 
  

0.0605% 
  



26 
  

 £272,979.61 
  

0.0623% 
  

 £227,788.67 
  

0.0599% 
  

 £230,434.27 
  

0.0599% 
  



27 
  

 £260,686.39 
  

0.0595% 
  

 £227,443.80 
  

0.0598% 
  

 £227,019.53 
  

0.0590% 
  



28 
  

 £259,590.99 
  

0.0593% 
  

 £225,615.46 
  

0.0593% 
  

 £226,898.72 
  

0.0590% 
  



29 
  

 £252,627.78 
  

0.0577% 
  

 £224,440.28 
  

0.0590% 
  

 £225,613.51 
  

0.0586% 
  



30 
  

 £252,409.71 
  

0.0576% 
  

 £222,819.71 
  

0.0586% 
  

 £224,045.43 
  

0.0582% 
  



31 
  

 £250,411.74 
  

0.0572% 
  

 £220,921.84 
  

0.0581% 
  

 £223,375.51 
  

0.0581% 
  



32 
  

 £246,755.24 
  

0.0563% 
  

 £218,609.40 
  

0.0575% 
  

 £220,681.34 
  

0.0574% 
  



33 
  

 £245,785.74 
  

0.0561% 
  

 £214,497.20 
  

0.0564% 
  

 £219,462.64 
  

0.0570% 
  



34 
  

 £243,045.95 
  

0.0555% 
  

 £212,563.41 
  

0.0559% 
  

 £218,434.22 
  

0.0568% 
  



35 
  

 £241,947.96 
  

0.0553% 
  

 £211,990.92 
  

0.0557% 
  

 £216,706.14 
  

0.0563% 
  



36 
  

 £240,053.05 
  

0.0548% 
  

 £211,962.74 
  

0.0557% 
  

 £215,693.32 
  

0.0561% 
  



37 
  

 £239,601.95 
  

0.0547% 
  

 £211,897.07 
  

0.0557% 
  

 £215,171.02 
  

0.0559% 
  



38 
  

 £232,162.34 
  

0.0530% 
  

 £207,935.08 
  

0.0547% 
  

 £212,886.24 
  

0.0553% 
  



39 
  

 £229,127.16 
  

0.0523% 
  

 £207,270.07 
  

0.0545% 
  

 £212,262.73 
  

0.0552% 
  



40 
  

 £228,834.96 
  

0.0523% 
  

 £206,766.27 
  

0.0544% 
  

 £210,563.26 
  

0.0547% 
  



41 
  

 £228,561.46 
  

0.0522% 
  

 £203,779.24 
  

0.0536% 
  

 £210,343.07 
  

0.0547% 
  



42 
  

 £228,518.05 
  

0.0522% 
  

 £203,683.36 
  

0.0536% 
  

 £209,569.35 
  

0.0545% 
  



43 
  

 £227,616.16 
  

0.0520% 
  

 £203,518.84 
  

0.0535% 
  

 £208,789.34 
  

0.0543% 
  



44 
  

 £227,370.48 
  

0.0519% 
  

 £201,774.10 
  

0.0531% 
  

 £207,820.21 
  

0.0540% 
  



45 
  

 £223,177.68 
  

0.0510% 
  

 £201,694.21 
  

0.0530% 
  

 £206,474.12 
  

0.0537% 
  



46 
  

 £220,661.11 
  

0.0504% 
  

 £201,135.79 
  

0.0529% 
  

 £204,734.18 
  

0.0532% 
  



47 
  

 £220,375.03 
  

0.0503% 
  

 £200,728.76 
  

0.0528% 
  

 £204,576.38 
  

0.0532% 
  



48 
  

 £220,363.68 
  

0.0503% 
  

 £199,416.17 
  

0.0524% 
  

 £204,474.83 
  

0.0531% 
  



49 
  

 £218,546.10 
  

0.0499% 
  

 £197,770.11 
  

0.0520% 
  

 £203,034.58 
  

0.0528% 
  



50 
  

 £217,078.74 
  

0.0496% 
  

 £197,172.07 
  

0.0518% 
  

 £202,470.82 
  

0.0526% 
  



  Note: The subsidy schemes covered in this exercise are:

  the Arable Area Payment Scheme;

  the Beef Special Premium Scheme;

  the Suckler Cow Premium Scheme;

  the Sheep Annual Premium Scheme, and

  the Hill Land Compensatory Allowance (predecessor to the Less-Favoured Areas Support Scheme).

  Total amounts do not include agri-monetary payments, nor payments made under the agri-environment and forestry grant schemes.

Crime

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18071 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 September 2001, how many convictions resulted in (a) a custodial sentence, (b) a community service order and (c) a fine (i) in each year since 1999 and (ii) broken down by offence.

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information is given in the table. Data for the year 2000 are not yet available.

  Persons with a charge proved for possession of an offensive weapon, Edinburgh1, 1999

  


Main Crime 
  

Total 
  

Custodial Sentence 
  

Community2 Service Order 
  

Fine 
  

Other3 Sentence 
  



Possession of an offensive weapon 
  

67 
  

18 
  

2 
  

28 
  

19 
  



Having in a public place an article with a blade or point 
  

96 
  

28 
  

16 
  

32 
  

20 
  



Total 
  

 163 
  

46 
  

18 
  

60 
  

39 
  



  Notes:

  1. Convictions in Edinburgh sheriff court. There were no relevant convictions in City of Edinburgh district court.

  2. Includes community service as a condition of probation.

  3. Includes probation (with no condition of community service), absolute discharge and admonition.

  In the four homicides recorded in City of Edinburgh in 1999 where the main method of killing was a sharp instrument, two accused persons have to date been convicted, both receiving a custodial sentence.

Cycling

John Young (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to tackle any deterioration in the road conduct of cyclists with a view to protecting the interests and safety of pedestrians.

Sarah Boyack: In the absence of any indicators to suggest that there is a significant problem in this area, I consider that existing remedies are adequate to address such problems as exist.

  Sections 28 to 32 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 list a number of cycling offences. Further, section 129(5) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 makes it an offence to cycle on a footway which has not been redetermined for use by both pedestrians and cyclists.

  It is of course a matter for the police and for procurators fiscal to proceed as they deem appropriate when any offence has been committed.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the revised teaching materials for technological studies will be distributed to schools.

Mr Jack McConnell: Learning and Teaching Scotland distributed the Standard Grade Technological Studies support materials to all Scottish secondary schools on Monday 20 August. A copy of these materials is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 16397).

Emergency Services

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18001 by Iain Gray on 25 September 2001, whether it will detail the purpose and nature of each exercise and the numbers of civilians and/or service personnel involved.

Iain Gray: All nuclear exercises postulate either a threat or actual release of radiation, not that this is deemed likely to occur, but because it provides the best test of procedures amongst the widest range of participants. Large numbers of civilian and service personnel are involved throughout the exercise programme but, as these "players" are taking part from a wide range of organisations at dispersed locations across Scotland, the actual numbers taking part are not readily available.

Enterprise

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times ministers have met Highlands and Islands Enterprise in each of the last three years.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Ministers regularly meet with the board and senior management of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Neither HIE nor the department hold records on these meetings. Most recently, I met with the chairman and chief executive in late August, the First Minister and the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and Gaelic met with the chief executive in early August and the deputy minister and I met the board and senior management in May this year.

Environment

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s current modelling technique for assessing the benthic impact of trade effluent and therapeutants from cage fish farms has been compared in the field against actual impacts from real cages and, if so, whether it will list the sites where the comparison was made and the result of the comparison.

Rhona Brankin: The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Europe

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any areas in which it or any of its agencies or non-departmental public bodies are currently infringing any European Union directives or regulations; what the current status of any such infringements is, and whether any of them relate to the environment and, if so, how many.

Mr Jack McConnell: All member states of the European Union are currently the subject of investigations by the European Commission regarding breaches of European law. The United Kingdom has a good record on such matters.

  There is one breach of European environmental law concerning Scotland where the European Court of Justice has issued a formal judgment against the UK’s implementation of the EC Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC). In addition there are two environmental infraction cases concerning Scotland where a notice has been published in the Official Journal of the European Communities that the cases have been referred to the European Court of Justice by the European Commission. For details of these cases, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-3901 on 4 October 2001.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to protect the freshwater pearl mussel and whether any link has been established between the level of such mussel populations and the decline in salmon and sea trout numbers.

Rhona Brankin: The freshwater pearl mussel is protected from killing or exploitation by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In addition to this, the Scottish Executive has identified 18 sites as proposed Special Areas of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive, where the mussels and their habitat will be subject to protection from deterioration, damage and disturbance. Seventeen of these sites have been formally submitted to the European Commission, and one is currently the subject of consultation. Freshwater pearl mussels also occur in a number of additional cSACs and Sites of Special Scientific Interest which primarily provide protection for other conservation interests.

  No link has been established between the level of freshwater pearl mussel populations and the decline of salmon and sea trout numbers in Scotland.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive who the members of the Aquaculture Forum are, when it last met, what items were discussed at that meeting and what work it is currently undertaking.

Rhona Brankin: The organisations represented on the Aquaculture Forum are :

  Highland Council

  Argyll & Bute Council

  Shetland Islands Council

  Orkney Islands Council

  Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

  North Ayrshire Council

  Moray Council

  Scottish Quality Salmon

  British Marine Finfish Association

  Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers

  Shetland Salmon Farmers Association

  Orkney Fish Farmers Association

  British Trout Association

  Seafish Industry Authority

  Association of the West Coast Fisheries Trusts

  Salmon and Trout Association

  Association of District Salmon Fishery Boards

  Scottish National Anglers Association

  Scottish Environment LINK

  Seafish Industry Authority

  Scottish Fishermen’s Federation

  Crown Estate

  HIE

  SNH

  SEPA

  SEERAD

  Meetings are co-ordinated by Highland Council, who also provide the secretariat.

  The forum last met in Inverness on 23 August, to discuss a joint response to the Executive’s on-going review of aquaculture regulation. Other issues currently being addressed include identification of new areas for aquaculture research, surveying public perceptions of fish farming, the carrying capacity of the marine environment, and contributing to the debate on a long-term strategic framework for aquaculture.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive who the members of the Aquaculture Health Joint Working Group are, what the results of its work have been to date and when its work is programmed to be completed.

Rhona Brankin: Copies of the group’s first annual report for 2000 have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 16504) and membership is set out in Appendix 5. The group is continuing to work on the tasks outlined in the report. No date has been set for their completion.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the details and cost of each item within its programme of research and development into aquaculture.

Rhona Brankin: The individual items of work commissioned by the Scottish Executive from Fisheries Research Services are as follows:

  


Project Code 
  

Description 
  

Start date 
  

End date 
  

Estimated costs 2001-02 
  



FC1183 
  

Evaluation of disinfectants against notifiable diseases, 
  principally fish viruses 
  

April-2000 
  

March-2002 
  

£31,540 
  



FC1182 
  

Pathogenic IPN 
  

April-2000 
  

March-2003 
  

£88,315 
  



FC1181 
  

Disease susceptibility and immunology of cultured marine 
  fish 
  

April-2000 
  

March-2003 
  

£41,290 
  



FC1184 
  

Diagnosis of emerging fish diseases 
  

April-2000 
  

March-2003 
  

£110,510 
  



FC1180 
  

Novel oral/immersion vaccine delivery systems for novel 
  DNA vaccine formulations 
  

April-1998 
  

March-2003 
  

£67,584 
  



AE1158 
  

Impacts of salmon farming on wild fish populations 
  

April-2000 
  

March-2004 
  

£303,528 
  



FC1185 
  

Solutions for legislative control of VHS in the marine 
  environment 
  

April-2001 
  

March-2003 
  

£261,362 
  



FC0756 
  

Evaluation of non animal techniques and procedures for 
  the detection of shellfish toxins 
  

April-2000 
  

March-2003 
  

£162,128 
  



FC1186 
  

Ecology, biochemistry, genetic characterisation, and immunology 
  of Infectious Salmon Anaemia Virus (ISAV) 
  

April-2001 
  

March-2002 
  

£337,943 
  



AE1159 
  

Investigations into the identification and toxicity of 
  Pseudo-nitzschia spp., the causative organisms associated 
  with ASP in shellfish. 
  

April-2000 
  

March-2003 
  

£18,616 
  



AE1160 
  

Collation and assessment of historical algal bloom data 
  

April-2001 
  

March-2002 
  

£88,251 
  



AE1252 
  

Hydrobiology of the Minches 
  

April-1996 
  

March-2002 
  

£33,116 
  



  The Scottish Executive also contributes £60,000 annually to a collaborative project investigating the potential environmental impact on the marine environment of sea lice treatments.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact (a) climate change and (b) the lack of available food supply has had on fish stock levels in the North sea.

Rhona Brankin: Fish stocks are highly variable and it is not yet possible to make direct or measurable linkages between fish stock abundance and climate change for North sea stocks. As to food supply, there is no evidence that a lack of food availability has contributed to declining stocks although, in localised areas, shortage of food may result in a lower abundance of fish.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the level of industrial fishing in the North Sea.

Rhona Brankin: The level of industrial fishing in the North Sea is determined annually at the European Fish Council of Ministers in December. The Executive has been working with DEFRA and Danish counterparts to collect evidence of the impact of industrial fisheries on whitefish species. We will be discussing these findings with the European Commission with a view to making a case for cuts in industrial fisheries.

Fisheries

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17702 by Rhona Brankin on 19 September 2001, whether it will name the groups and individuals consulted on the matter of formal decision-making powers for fisheries regional management committees.

Rhona Brankin: I have had numerous such discussions and consultations. Normally this subject would be discussed as part of a wider agenda. Records are not held that would enable a precise response to the question.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the Scottish Medicines Consortium.

Susan Deacon: The chief medical officer has asked the consortium to make recommendations to all health boards and their Area Drug and Therapeutic Committees about the formulary status of all newly licensed medicines, all new formulations of existing medicines and any major new indications for established products. This advice should be promulgated as soon as practicable after the launch of the product involved.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place that ensure that the work of the Scottish Medicines consortium is transparent and accountable.

Susan Deacon: Membership of the Scottish Medicines Consortium has been drawn from across Scotland and includes lay members. The consortium’s recommendations to NHS Boards will be made public shortly after each meeting and will appear on a dedicated website.

Hospitals

John Young (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for the building of any major new hospitals in South Glasgow.

Susan Deacon: It is for NHS Boards to develop and implement services, including proposals for new hospital building projects, in the light of their assessments of need. A review of acute hospital services provision throughout Glasgow is currently under way. One of the options under consideration is a proposal to build new hospital facilities in South Glasgow. The various proposals are the subject of option appraisal at present.

  The Scottish Executive is overseeing the largest hospital building programme that the NHS in Scotland has seen. We are committed to ensuring that the public in Glasgow and across Scotland has access to modern hospital facilities, which are capable of delivering effective health services in the 21st century.

Prison Service

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18058 by Iain Gray on 25 September 2001, whether it has any plans to record biographical information for all prisoners.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Yes, the SPS records essential biographical information on prisoners including date of birth, address, next of kin name, address and relationship, and, if available, present employment. SPS is currently reviewing its computerised prisoner record system to take account of future needs.

Regulation

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail, for the period since November 1999, the numbers, grades, salaries and career experience of staff appointed to the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit and the annual running costs of the unit.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Since November 1999, the Improving Regulation in Scotland (IRIS) Unit has been overseen by one member of the senior civil service and run by one C1 and one B2, supported where necessary by further B2, B1 and administrative (Band A) staff. The running costs of the unit are contained within those of the Enterprise and Industry Division, which for 2001-02 totals £881,921. Before being involved in the running of the unit, staff must show they have the correct skills and experience for the task to which they are assigned.

  Current pay ranges for these posts are:

  


SCS 
  

£53,534 - £87,598 
  



C1 
  

£34,000 - £43,699 
  



B2 
  

£18,375 - £24,282 
  



B1 
  

£14,178 - £20,647 
  



A3 
  

£11,495 - £14,466 
  



A2 
  

£10,735 - £12,813 
  



A1 
  

£10,000 - £11,625

Regulation

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list, for the period since November 1999, the publications, advice notes and guidance on improving regulation in Scotland issued by or on behalf of the Improving Regulation in Scotland (IRIS) Unit internally to the Executive.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The IRIS Report on Regulatory Concerns (January 2001), the Regulatory Impact Assessment Guide (May 2001), Report on the IRIS Unit for the Regulatory Summit (June 2001) and the Summit Summary (October 2001) have been published by the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit since November 1999 to date. All publications produced by the unit can be found on the unit’s website at www.scotland.gov.uk/who/elld/iris_pubs.asp .

Regulation

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its regulatory practices have been audited and evaluated by the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit since November 1999 and what the results were of any such audit and evaluation.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Improving Regulation in Scotland (IRIS) Unit can make the most telling contribution by ensuring that the Scottish Executive takes fully into account the need for all regulations to be proportionate and fit for purpose. With this aim, the unit has assisted Scottish Executive departments in the development of over 70 regulations and the drafting of Regulatory Impact Assessments that have been produced for each. The most important evaluation of regulations and regulatory practices, so far as the IRIS Unit is concerned, is that done by businesses themselves. Over 170 enquiries and complaints have been referred to the unit to date. Of these, 67 related to reserved matters, 40 to devolved matters and 65 did not refer to specific policy areas but rather to regulatory mechanisms and principles for attention by the Scottish Executive and the UK Government. The comments made to the unit seldom refer to any individual regulation, but the areas which give rise to the greatest number of concerns are: that the development of policy should involve more consideration of the impact on business, and difficulties with employment regulations and trading standards and their application. These comments have been discussed with the departments responsible and progress on these and other issues will be pursued by the IRIS Unit.

Regulation

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations have taken place since November 1999 between the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit and the Department of Trade and Industry on removing unnecessary burdens on business and what the results of any such consultations have been.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit has regular discussions with a number of Whitehall departments and in particular with Cabinet Office, which has responsibility for improving regulation at a UK level. Details of official level discussions within government are internal matters for the parties concerned.

Regulation

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which regulations have been identified by the Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit as either (a) being no longer necessary or (b) capable of simplification.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Further to the answer given to question S1W-18582 on 11 October 2001, the Improving Regulation in Scotland unit has not identified any regulations as no longer necessary.

  The review of planning procedures is one example of the Scottish Executive taking steps to improve and simplify an area of particular relevance to businesses. All regulations introduced since devolution will be subject to formal review within 10 years of introduction through a Review Regulatory Impact Assessment.

Road Accidents

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many accidents have occurred in each month of each year since 1997 on the A90 between the Forth Road bridge and Cramond bridge.

Sarah Boyack: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured: they do not cover damage-only accidents. The following table shows the number of injury road accidents identified as occurring on the A90 between the Forth Road bridge and Cramond bridge since the start of January 1997.

  Injury road accidents on the A90 from the Forth Road bridge to Cramond bridge by month, from January 1997

  


 


1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 (provisional) 
  



January 
  

- 
  

2 
  

2 
  

2 
  

2 
  



February 
  

5 
  

3 
  

- 
  

1 
  

2 
  



March 
  

- 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  

n/a 
  



April 
  

- 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  

2 
  



May 
  

- 
  

2 
  

3 
  

3 
  

1 
  



June 
  

2 
  

2 
  

- 
  

4 
  

n/a 
  



July 
  

- 
  

1 
  

2 
  

2 
  

n/a 
  



August 
  

2 
  

2 
  

3 
  

2 
  

n/a 
  



September 
  

2 
  

2 
  

- 
  

- 
  

n/a 
  



October 
  

2 
  

2 
  

1 
  

3 
  

n/a 
  



November 
  

2 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  

n/a 
  



December 
  

- 
  

- 
  

4 
  

2 
  

n/a 
  



Total 
  

15 
  

19 
  

18 
  

22 
  

n/a 
  



  In the table "n/a" indicates "not available". Figures are not yet available for some months in 2001 because, to date, the Executive has received the relevant STATS 19 returns only for the months from January to May (excluding March).

  It should be noted that these figures are based upon the data which are held in the central statistical database and which were collected by the police at the time of the accident and subsequently reported to the Executive. They may differ from any figures which the local authority would provide now, because they do not take account of any subsequent changes or corrections that the local authority may have made to the statistical information, for use at local level, about the location of each accident, based upon its knowledge of the road and area concerned.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre the full terms of the contract with BEAR Scotland Ltd for the management and maintenance of the trunk road network and why BEAR Scotland Ltd are not permitted to communicate directly with MSPs on any representations which they may make on the trunk road maintenance contracts.

Sarah Boyack: In respect of access to the contract, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-18616 on 11 October 2001.

  In respect of communication between the company and members of the Scottish Parliament, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-18546 on 10 October 2001.

Roads

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the performance specification section of the motorway and trunk roads maintenance tender documentation cannot be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (SPICe); whether it will place in SPICe a copy of the performance specification and key performance indicators which it requires tenders to meet, and whether copies of the tender documentation will be submitted to the Transport and the Environment Committee to inform its inquiry into the management and maintenance of trunk roads.

Sarah Boyack: Some of the tender documentation is specific to the operators submitting bids, and therefore is commercially confidential. However, I have now placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre the part of the specification which does not contain contract specific information, and therefore is not covered by commercial confidentiality (Bib. number 16573).

  It would be for the Transport and Environment Committee, once action before the courts has been determined, to request sight of tender documentation in accordance with the protocol established for sensitive papers relating to matters before a committee. This protocol provides, in certain circumstances, for the convenor of the committee to have sight of the documents on a personal and confidential basis.

Rural Development

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its rural policy and development research programme for 2001-02 includes a review of research into rural development and, if so, what the timetable for any such review will be.

Ross Finnie: The Executive’s rural policy and development research programme for 2001-02, published on 31 July 2001, includes a proposal to carry out a review of research on rural development. It is intended that this study will commence shortly.

Schools

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to local authorities on the production of schools option appraisals and whether the appendices to the schools option appraisal by Dumfries and Galloway Council complies with any such guidance or is in a format appropriate for public consultation on school closures.

Mr Jack McConnell: Advice on option appraisal for potential Public/Private Partnership projects is contained in the HM Treasury publication Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government . I understand that Dumfries and Galloway Council has taken that advice into account in preparing an outline business case in connection with its proposals for the refurbishment of its school stock.

  Separate procedures apply under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 in relation to public consultation for a specific proposal to close a school. Such consultation would be required only after an authority had reached a view that it wished to pursue the possible closure of a particular school.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what budget is allocated and what expenditure is so far committed to the publication of Communiqué: The Scottish Executive’s Newsletter on Europe and External Relations ; how many editions the newsletter is expected to run for; how many copies of each edition will be printed and to what readership the newsletter is targeted.

Mr Jack McConnell: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-18536 on 9 October 2001.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost to launch, publish and distribute the Fisheries Research Services’ Statistical Bulletin Scottish Salmon and Sea Trout Catches 2000 and how many copies of the document have been sold to the public.

Rhona Brankin: Seven hundred copies of the report were published this year at a cost of £1,406.00. Distribution costs were £183.91. Her Majesty’s Stationary Office sales to date are 43.

Special Educational Needs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time taken to finalise appeals regarding records of needs has been for 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000 to date.

Mr Jack McConnell: The average times are 66 weeks in 1998-99, 74 weeks in 1999-2000 and 39 weeks in 2000-01 for the 13 completed so far. No appeals received in 2001-02 have yet reached decision. The number of appeals received in each year is 24, 32, 31 and 22 to date, respectively.

  The process is time consuming and the length of individual cases can be influenced by a variety of factors. Appeals go through the following stages:

  checking validity of appeal and gathering relevant documentation from all parties concerned, including, in certain cases, parents’ reasons for appealing, and often allowing time for the submission of independent assessments;

  assigning appeal to an adviser to the Scottish ministers;

  scheduling investigations, usually involving observation of the child in school and meetings with the parents and relevant professionals;

  production of a detailed report on the case;

  circulation of the report and a period of consultation on it for both parties;

  collation of all comments on the report, and

  a decision made on the basis of all information available including the report and comments made on it.

Special Educational Needs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals have been received regarding records of needs in 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000 to date.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive received 24 appeals in 1998-99, 32 appeals in 1999-2000, 31 appeals in 2000-01 and has received 22 to date in 2001-02.

Special Educational Needs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful appeals regarding records of needs there have been in 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000 to date and what this figure is as a percentage of the number received.

Mr Jack McConnell: Year 
  

 Decisions in the parents’ favour 
  

As a % of appeals reaching decision 
  



1998-99 
  

8 
  

40% 
  



1999-2000 
  

16 
  

64% 
  



2000-01 
  

7 
  

54% (excludes 7 still in progress) 
  



2001-02 
  

no appeals yet reached decisions

Special Educational Needs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the target timescale is for completion of an appeal regarding a record of needs.

Mr Jack McConnell: There is no target timescale in legislation for completion of record of needs appeals referred to Scottish ministers. The time taken to complete individual cases can vary depending on a variety of factors.

  The record of needs process, including the appeal system, is currently under review and it is expected that outline proposals for change will be published by the end of the year.

Tourism

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how joint funding arrangements for the £36 million investment in Highlands and Islands tourism announced on 7 August 2001 will be broken down, in particular (a) how much public money is being committed, (b) from which budget such funds will be taken and (c) what amount of private capital has already been secured under this scheme.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria businesses will be required to meet to qualify for funding for tourism initiatives under the £36 million investment announced on 7 August 2001.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of private investment businesses will be required to make to enable them to attract public money under the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001 and what ratio of public to private finance will apply to initiatives funded under the scheme.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the announcement on 7 August 2001 of £36 million for tourism initiatives, in what format, when and where the allocation of these funds will be published and whether such information will be published distinctly from information about general expenditure on tourism in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a distinction will be drawn between job creation and job retention in any criteria for considering applications for funding under the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the application process for people wishing to apply for funding under the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001 and where such details will be publicly available.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where the responsibility lies within Highlands and Islands Enterprise for decisions on applications for funding under the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001 and whether it will publish a list of the criteria under which these decisions will be made.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the deadline is for applications for funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise in respect of the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum amount of funding is that Highlands and Islands Enterprise may allocate to any one business under the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an advertising campaign within the Highlands and Islands area to encourage applications in respect of the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001 and, if so, how much money is being invested in that campaign and from which budget is the money allocated.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets and goals have been put in place to enable an assessment to be made of whether the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001 has had a successful and significant impact on the tourism sector in the Highlands and Islands and whether an analysis of any such assessment will be published.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The information is not held centrally.

Tourism

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance will be given to Highlands and Islands Enterprise on how the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001 should be spent.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: : None.

Tourism

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the criteria used to establish the success or failure of the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to publish an annual report on the success of the schemes comprising the £36 million investment in tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: No. This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Tourism

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of a proposal by VisitScotland to change its quality assurance criteria for the year 2003 and, if so, (a) whether it has made an estimate of how many accommodation providers may lose a star in their ratings as a result and (b) whether businesses affected by the proposed change in criteria may apply now under the £36 million funding for tourism initiatives announced on 7 August 2001.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The VisitScotland quality assurance grading is being strengthened in line with the objectives of national tourism strategy. This may result in a change in star grading for a small number of businesses. Applications for funding under the £36 million tourism initiatives are an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise .

Tourism

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional support is being given to the Scottish tourist industry in view of the potential likely reduction in the number of visitors to Scotland from North America.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: We need to assess the position carefully and provide the right response. We have therefore brought together representatives of the industry and of the support agencies to consider the nature of the problem that we face. VisitScotland and the British Tourist Authority are urgently reviewing their marketing strategies. We are continuing to review our strategy for the tourism industry. This review will take into account the current world situation and the effects that the foot-and-mouth disease crisis had on the tourism industry.